Heater



HEATER 4 sheets-skeet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1944 INVENTOR. JOHN MILLER ATTORNEY J. W. MILLER HEATER 4 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1, 1944 mmvron FIIIIII ,FIG. I

' JOHN w MILLER ATTORNEY Patented June 22, 1949 HEATER John W. Miller, Lansing, Mioh., assignor to Motor Corporation, Lansing, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application February 1, 1944, Serial N0. 520,620

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to heaters and more particularly to a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby to provide a forced circulation of air for space heaters of the circulating type without affecting their capacity to circulate air by gravity.

Circulating space heaters are conventionally used to heat small dwelling, trailers or other small structures where space is at a premium. One of the difliculties encountered in heating such structures is to avoid underheating the floor while overheating the ceiling. This is especially .so in trailers where the floor is exposed to the outside temperature. This diihculty can be overcome, of course, if it is desired to resort to an elaborate air circulating and distributing system. However, the limitations of space and cost do not permit of that in many instances.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive unit which may be conveniently installed in a small space and combined with a circulating heater to discharge heated air at the floor level. In order to do this, it will be understood that it is necessary to force the heated air to flow in a direction contrary to the natural gravity flow thereof. It has been discovered that by discharging the heated air, at floor level and distributing it around the space to be heated in proper proportions, the relative difference in temperature between the floor and ceiling is reduced to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a reading of the following specification in connection with the accompany= ing drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an apparatus embodying the present invention, with a portion of the heater casing removed to show the stove and interior of the casin Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the heater shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the air circulating and distributing unit forming a part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the unit shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the unit shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a top plan view similar to Figure 3 but with the top wall of the unit removed;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-8 of iEure 8.

The apparatus shown in Figure 1 includes a circulating space heater designated generally by the reference numeral I 0 and an air circulating and distributing unit designated generally by the reference numeral 25. Each of these two members is self contained and capable of use independently of each other.

The circulating heater Ill comprises a stove ll which may be of any conventional type, such as the oil burning type shown in Figure 1 of the pateat to Valjean No. 2,073,270. The details of the stove form no part of the present invention, so they are not here shown or described. The stove may be provided with supporting legs l2, a door l3, and an exhaust pipe M, the latter being adapted to be connected to a chimney, not shown. Fuel may be supplied to the stove from a source not shown through a valve controlled supply pipe l5. By means of the valve, the quantity of fuel supplied to the burner and consumed therein, and therefore, the quantity of heat generated can be conveniently regulated.

The stove H is enclosed on its sides and top by a casing IS, the lower edge of the casing being at the level of the lower extremities of the stove legs l2 so as to be supported by the same support as the stove. The casing I6 is arranged in spaced relation to the stove to provide a space therebetween within which air is heated. The side walls of the casing iii are provided with louvered air inlet openings l'l adjacent the lower extremities thereof; and the top wall is provided with a louvered outlet opening I8. Thus, the heater is capable of circulating air by gravity, the cold air being drawn in through the openings l1 and the heated air being discharged through the opening l8.

Within the casing it there is disposed an air duct I9 which extends from near the top of the casing to near the bottom thereof. The duct I9 is provided with an inlet opening 20 at its upper end and an outlet opening 2| at its lower end (see Figures 1 and 2). The outlet opening 2| is adapted to register with an inlet opening in the top wall of air circulating and distributing unit 25, as will be described presently.

The details of the air circulating and distributing unit 25 are shown in Figures 3 to 9 inclusive. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the exterior of the unit which comprises a casing having a bottom wall 26, side walls 21 and 28, a front wall 29, a rear wall 30, and a top wall 3| formed to provide a partment A.

3 raised housing 42 to enclose a blower and motor as will be described presently.

The interior oi the air circulating and distributing unit is divided into an air distributing compartment A, and air intake and ion compartment B, and a motor compartment by the vertical partitions 85, 54 and I.

The top oi housing 22 is provided with an opening at which constitutes an air inlet opening into air intake compartment B. The lower end oi the air duct It contained within the heater casing ltisadaptedtobeconnectedtothisairinlet opening 35, when the parts are arranged in the assembled relation shown in Figure 1. For this Purp se the top wall oi housing '32 may be provided with an upstanding sleeve "a secured within the opening to telescopically receive the lower end or the air duct ll.

A ian 31 in the iorm oi.an axial intake radial discharge type oi blower is disposed within the compartment B. The ian includes a casing having an intake opening 88 in the side thereoi and an outlet opening 29 in a tubular extension 45. (See Figure 8). The partition 33, which separates the air intake compartment B irom the air distributing compartment A, is provided with an opening Just large enough to receive the tubular extension 40 oi the casing iorminga part oi ian 31. Thus, the inlet opening 35 oi the ian is disposed within air intake compartment B and the outlet opening 39 oi the ian is disposed within the air distributing compartment A.

Fan 31 is driven by a motor 4| disposed in the motor compartment C (see Figure 6). The motor 4| is operatively connected to the wheel oi fan 31 by a shait 42 which projects through an opening in partition 34 provided ior that purpose. Electrical current is supplied to motor 4| from a source, not shown, through electrical conductor 43. The motor 4! may be of the variable speed type so as to permit of regulation of the amount of heated air discharged by the ian.

The side walls 21 and 25 and are provided with outlet openings 44, and 45 for the discharge of air from the distributing com- By providing discharge openings in three sides of the compartment, it will be recognized that air can be directed to any part oi the room or space in which the apparatus is located. By locating the discharge openings at the floor level, heated air is discharged along the floor when the apparatus is used in the asesmbled relation shown in Figure 1.

The openings 44, 45 and 4e are provided with grill assemblies including vanes arranged to direct all of the discharged air downwardly and a part of the discharged air from each outlet in one direction and the remainder in another direction. The grills are all alike and so only the one installed in opening 44 will be described. It includes a plurality of vertically extending vanes 41 inclined in one direction and others 45 inclined in the opposite direction; and a series of horizontal vanes 49 all inclined downwardly.

In order to permit the distribution of heated air irom outlets 44, 45 and 45 by conduits, if desired, the grills also include a tubular flange adapted to telescopically engage a suitable conduit.

Provision is made for regulating the proportion of air which is discharged irom the distributin chamber A through each of the discharge openings 44, 45 and 46. This is accomplished by means of a pair of adjustable air guides 50 and 5| of a width approximately equal to the height oi compertinent A. (See Figure 6). Each of the guides the front wall 29 t has one end pivotally connected to iront wall 2. at opposite sides oi the outlet opening 45. The opposite ends extend toward the discharge opening in the tubular portion 40 oi ian 31. By moving the iree ends oi guides II and II toward or away irom each other and to the right or left (as viewed in Figure 8) the proportion oi air discharged through each oi the outlet openings 44, 45 and 45 may be varied and regulated as desired. It can all be discharged through one opening or it can be evenly distributed among the three or it can be varied at any desired place between these extremes, merely by adjusting the positions oi guides 50 and 5|.

From the description thus iar given the operation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 will be readily apparent. When the ian 31 is not in operation, it will be as iollows: the heat produced by stove i I will set up a gravity circulation oi air so that cold air will be drawn into the casing it through the openings l1 and heated air will be discharged irom the casing through openings It.

When the ian 31 is in operation, cold air will continue to be drawn into the casing 18 through the openings l1. But the heated air will not be discharged through the openings it. Instead it will be drawn into the upper end oi air duct It, irom there into intake compartment B, then through fan 31 into distributin compartment A, and finally be discharged under pressure through outlet openings 44, 45 and 45. The size oi duct l5 and the inlet opening 20 thereinto should and can be so proportioned that when the stove and fan are both working at maximum capacity, substantially all of the heated air is drawn into duct is and discharged from openings 44. 45 and 45 and substantially none oi the heated air is discharged through openings IB. Care should be taken also to prevent drawing cold air into the apparatus through openings Id.

In some cases, such as trailers, ior example, it is desired to introduce some fresh air into the circulating system in the winter and to circulate the cool outside air through the structure in the summer time. Provision is made in the present apparatus to accomplish both oi these advantageous results.

Partition :5 which forms the back wall of air intake compartment B is provided with an opening 52 which constitutes a second air inlet opening into compartment B. (See Figures 8 and 9.) The rear wall ll of the air circulating unit 25 is also provided with an opening 53 communicating with compartment C as well as with opening 52 in compartment B. Thus, air from the outside oi the apparatus may be drawn directly into the air intake compartment B through the openings 53 and 52. The wall to surrounding opening 53 is preferably flanged as at 53a 50 that a conduit can be attached thereto, if desired. By the use oi such a connection the opening 53 may be placed in direct communication with the air outside the structure in which the apparatus is located.

As motor 4! is in compartment C which is always open to the outside air through opening 52, the motor cannot become overheated by hot air from the stove.

In order to regulate the proportion of air admitted to air intake compartment B through openings 35 (heated air) and 52 (cold air), an adjustable damper 54 is provided. The damper is of a size to completely cover either oi these openings. It is mounted upon a shait 55 rotatably supported by the housing 32 and having a iree end extending through the side wall oi ing 53. In order to close opening 53 and opening 35, all that need be done is to rotate shaft 55 to its extreme counterclockwise position in Figure 8.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel compact and inexpensive arrangement of parts for providing a circulating heater with a forced air circulation which is adapted to discharge heated air at the floor level, Without interfering with the capacity of the heater to. function as a gravity circulator.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of upright walls forming an enclosure, a heater casing supported upon said walls, an upright partition in said enclosure dividing the same into an air intake chamber and an air distributing chamber and having an opening forming a passageway between said chambers, a generally horizontal wall supported by said.

having an outlet opening in the upright wall thereof, and a fan located in said passageway between said air intake chamber and said air distributing chamber and for withdrawing air from the intake chamber and discharging it into the distributing chamber.

2. A device of thecharacter defined in claim 1 wherein said air distributin chamber is provided with openings in three upright sides thereof and means is provided in said distributing chamber for proportioning the quantity of air discharged from said three openings.

3 JOHN W. MILLER.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES EPATENTS Number Name l Date 1,151,611 Prat Aug. 31, 1915 y 1,708,250 Alfreds Apr. 9, 1929 1,753,156 Otis Apr. 1, 1930 1,793,295 Werme Feb. 17, 1931 1,950,768 Anderson Mar. 13, 1934 2,191,224 Adair Feb. 20, 1940 2,243,916 Mueller June 3, 1941 2,278,843 Follansbee Apr. 7, 1942 2,279,974 Evans Apr. 14, 1942 2,304,570 Jain Dec. 8, 1942 2,315,154 Fenner 1 Mar. 30, 1943 2,324,858 Levine July 20, 1943 2,325,427 Reynolds July 27,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 428,633 Great Britain Dec. 19, 1933 454,751 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1936 

